The race to Monte Carlo is on, with Jeremy in the new Aston Martin DB9, and Richard and James travelling by high speed train. James goes undercover to drive a Rover CityRover and the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car returns with actress Fay Ripley behind the wheel.

The latest round of motoring news sees Jeremy reporting on the Porsche GT3 RS and Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, and Richard searching for a Dodge Charger. The presenters try to find a road legal car for less than £100, and Jordan is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

REVIEWS: Porsche Carrera GT • Audi A8 TDi V8 • Ford SportKa

CHALLENGE: May and Hammond play 'car darts' • V8 Diesel Audi A8 endurance challenge • Ford SportKa vs. racing pigeons race • Evo vs. STi battle revised

In this episode, there's a race between some homing pigeons and a Ford Ka driven by, James. James used satellite navigation and ended up getting lost. Jeremy attempted to drive a diesel-powered Audi A8 Quattro with a V8 engine 800 miles on one tank of fuel. James and Richard played darts with cars and one more caravan was removed from the roads. Also in this episode, the boys pit a Subaru Impreza STi RS against a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

REVIEWS: MG ZT 260 • BMW 645Ci • Jaguar XK-R • Porsche 911 Carrera 2 • Vauxhall Astra • Mazda 3 • Volkswagen Golf

CHALLENGE: Shoot Out: Performance sport coupes on the Pendine Sands • Volkswagen Golf gets electrocuted (with Hammond in it)

The boys then take three power machines to Pendine Sands in South Wales: the BMW 645i, the Porsche 911 Carrera 2 and the Jaguar XKR. Also featured, the Vauxhall Astra, the Mazda 3, the Volkswagen Golf and the MG ZT260 are tested and there was an attempt to electrocute Richard.

Johnny Vaughan is the (utterly faded) Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

REVIEWS: Renault Clio RenaultSport • Jaguar XJS • Cadillac CTS • Nissan Cube

CHALLENGE: Can you run a car on poo? Hammond investigates

James drives the Jaguar XJS, Richard drives the Cadillac CTS and finds out if methane is a future replacement for petrol. Jeremy drives the Nissan Cube and the Renault Clio. Terry Wogan is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

REVIEWS: Spyker C8 Spyder • • Renault Scenic • Ford C-MAX

CHALLENGE: Hammond and May road test mini MPVs as minicabers

James and Richard took to the streets of south London to give two tall hatchbacks a good thrashing by using them as taxis. Jeremy drove a new Mercedes with 'more power than God' and the Spyker C8, a car from of all places, Holland.

Lionel Richie is the Star in a reasonably Priced Car.

REVIEWS: Ford GT • Toyota Prius • Maserati Quattroporte

CHALLENGE: Diesel versus Petrol hot hatch race • Blowing over cars using Boeing 747 jetblast

James drives the Maserati Quattroporte in Sicily, whilst Jeremy empties the fuel tank of the new Ford GT40 on the track... in Woking. Richard marks the passing of the only decent engine Rover ever built - the Rover V8, with a race at Snetterton in a V8-powered Rover SD1.A Skoda Fabia VRS with a diesel engine, races a petrol-powered Mini Cooper S around the track; there's a exclusive look at the new Mercedes CLS and a Boeing 747 is used to see how far its engines can blow a Mondeo and a Citroën 2CV. Science in action...Martin Clunes is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

REVIEWS: Fiat Barchetta • Mercedes-Benz SL600 • Mazda MX-5 • Toyota MR2 • Jaguar X-Type Estate

CHALLENGE: May and Hammond search for the best convertible for a town with the least owned • Can you parachute into a moving car?

James finds out if it is possible to parachute into a moving car. Jeremy drives the new Jaguar X Type estate and on the Isle of Lewis and Harris - the place in the U.K. with the lowest number of cabriolet owners per-head - Richard and James test a range of cabriolets: the Mini Cabrio, Vauxhall Tigra, Mercedes SLK and the Audi S4.

Some "simple, softop sports cars" are also driven by Richard: the Mercedes SL600, Mazda MX5 and the Fiat Barchetta.

REVIEWS: Peugeot 407 • Volvo V50 • BMW X3 • Chevrolet Corvette C6

CHALLENGE: Hammond drives the Peugeot 407 as a pace car • Car Olympics: long jump

Jeremy tests the new BMW X3 and discovers its limitations as an off-road and on-road vehicle. James tries the new Volvo V50 and wonders if it's as good as its rivals, while Richard having clearly drawn the short straw, drives the new Corvette.